AFI Silver hosts the Festival of New Spanish Cinema, a traveling series of some of the best films to come out of Spain this year. Organized by Pragda and AFI Silver Theatre. Supported by the Embassy of Spain Washington, Secretary of State for Culture of Spain and ICAA—Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, and exclusive airline sponsor American Airlines. Special thanks to Marta Sanchez, festival organizer. For additional information visit pragda.com

César (Luis Tosar, in the performance of a lifetime) works as a doorman in a Barcelona apartment complex. He's not a happy man, but César wouldn't trade his job for the world as it allows him unfettered access into the life of one of his residents, the perpetually sunny Clara. Intent on wreaking havoc on her seemingly perfect life, César descends into madness as he sneakily pulls the strings of his target. Spanish horror vet and [REC] co-creator Jaume Balagueró has crafted a masterful Hitchcockian thriller that invites surprising sympathy for the villain.

"Adolescence is like a second birth. In the first a child is born, in the second, a man or a woman. And it's always painful." — Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Like teenage emotions, the most significant part of an iceberg lies beneath the surface. This atmospherically observed drama tells three interwoven stories of impending adulthood, as Mauri, Rebeca, Simon and Jota navigate the difficult waters of their lives. With breathtaking cinematography of the wintry Spanish countryside and an impressive cast of non-professional actors, ICEBERG has been a staple on the festival circuit. Official Selection, 2012, Rotterdam and Cartagena Film Festivals.

The best way to escape without a trace is to walk backwards over your own footprints. This is what French eccentric François Augiéras believed when he painted every inch of a military bunker in the desert of Mali, before burying it deep into the sand. But who is Augiéras? A legionnaire, painter, writer, gunman, saint, thief or devil? One of the most interesting auteurs working today, Catalan filmmaker Isaki Lacuesta, and one of Spain's foremost living artists, Miquel Barceló, lead audiences through the desert in search of the mythical frescoed bunker. This gorgeous biopic won the Golden Shell at the 2011 San Sebastián Film Festival. Official Selection, 2012 Rotterdam Film Festival.

José Sacristán and María Valverde shine in David Trueba's intelligent, witty and sensual film. On one hot summer day in Madrid, Miguel, an accomplished journalist, sets up a meeting in a café with Ángela, a young journalism student. He takes her to a friend's studio. His intentions are clearly sexual; hers less so. Accidentally locked in a bathroom, naked and without the possibility of escape, the unlikely pair are pitted against one another in an unevenly matched duel of age, intellect, ambition and experience. Official Selection, 2011 San Sebastián Film Festival; 2012 Sundance, Gudalajara Film Festivals.

Born in a Sahrawi refugee camp before being sent to live with foster parents in Spain, Fatimetu returns to Algeria for the first time in sixteen years after the death of her mother. Expected to resume her familial duties, Fatimetu struggles to care for her ailing sister, torn between life in the unfamiliar desert and the memories of her family and friends in Spain. With unprecedented access to the Sahrawi community, Pedro Pérez Rosado gives a voice to this unrepresented group of refugees and their struggle for independence. The outstanding performance of newcomer Nadhira Mohamed, herself born in a refugee camp, won her the Best Actress award at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Official Selection, 2012 Berlin Film Festival.

Famous comedian-turned-filmmaker Paco León drags audiences into the surreal and wild world of Carmina, a 58-year-old bar owner in Seville (played by León's real-life mother). When the theft of 80 hams leaves her broke, she needs to come up with a way to support her family. While she hatches her plan, Carmina reflects on her life, deeds and miracles. A box-office phenomenon, CARMINA OR BLOW UP was the first Spanish film to be released simultaneously across all platforms, reaching more than 30,000 spectators in its first week. The film's charm has seduced audiences and critics alike, taking the Special Jury Prize, Audience Award and Best Actress Award at the Málaga Film Festival.

Inspector Santos Trinidad (José Coronado), a grizzled veteran policeman, drinks too much and works too little. But for the first time, he'll find himself at the center of an investigation when a drunken bar brawl leads him to shoot three men dead, while a fourth escapes. Following his trail, Santos discovers a complicated network of prostitution and drug trafficking that serves to finance a far more complex criminal plan. A visceral noir tale, this film took home an impressive six Goya Awards in 2012, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor. Official Selection, 2011 San Sebastián Film Festival; 2012 Rotterdam Film Festival.